Bad enough that cancer is what it is... and then the treatment has to be so damned expensive on top of it.

I know, right? I can kind of understand it considering that chemo is really serious and it's best to have one administer it that knows what they are doing. I also understand the cost of the MRI kind of. I mean, I guess you're paying for the machine, and paying for someone to read the test. But at the same time, it's a diagnostic tool and I wish it could be more accessible to those of us who want to do right by our pets but don't have thousands and thousands of dollars.

I think it would be cool to have some kind of a hook up with someone in the medical field and I could just sneak my dog in for a quick look

Ah well, I guess I should also report however that Sofie is doing pretty great right now. She RARELY sneezes and can breathe a little out of her right nostril! She's still stuffy sounding and it's weird, she kind of groans when she's getting comfortable I'm not sure if that's related or just an old lady thing. She seems to be feeling pretty great [which kind of freaks me out giving her the chemo, I hope she reacts well like last time!] she takes off running down the road after me and my other dogs when I walk down to feed my horse. She's always way behind us because she has to pee on everything. She also has taken to sleeping on my bed at night and can make the leap up there, so I'm glad for that.

I want to thank you all again for the hugs, support, and just over all good vibes. This community is amazing, and it's nice to have this kind of support.

I shaved her face... I was going to shave her whole head but decided to see if I could get away with just cleaning her face up... it doesn't look too bad. I just don't want to shave her bald because it's getting cold and I don't want her to freeze!

Trouble took Carboplatin, and had few side effects. Within 24-48 hours she was back to normal. She had some mild nausea and was mildly lethargic for that short period of time. She also never had her blood count fall to a point she couldn't continue treatment. Based on what I've been told from others who have used the Carboplatin, Trouble's side effects were pretty normal. Most dogs handle the treatments well.

Trouble took Carboplatin, and had few side effects. Within 24-48 hours she was back to normal. She had some mild nausea and was mildly lethargic for that short period of time. She also never had her blood count fall to a point she couldn't continue treatment. Based on what I've been told from others who have used the Carboplatin, Trouble's side effects were pretty normal. Most dogs handle the treatments well.

Thanks for sharing your experience! It makes me feel a little more at ease. My vet is a really laid back guy and when he explains things he acts like the chemo is nothing sometimes... [I think that's just how he and I communicate, very nonchalant to each other] and it's really serious business, I mean, it's chemo!

Good luck with the chemo Tuesday. I REALLY hope the cancer doesn't spread to her brain.

Me too! We have a cat who comes in that appeared to have some kind of growth behind his eye. His owner took him in for an MRI and it was the largest nose cancer the vet had ever seen that spread to the brain, it was in his nose, behind his eye, and had gone into the brain. He was supposed to have 5 radiation treatments this week but I haven't heard how he is doing. I always check Sofie's eyes to make sure she doesn't have an odd eye or that one isn't sticking out more than the other because that was the first sign of a problem with this cat.

Thanks for the good luck everyone! I keep telling Sofie her friends at PBT wish her well, I think she gets it

Thanks for sharing your experience! It makes me feel a little more at ease. My vet is a really laid back guy and when he explains things he acts like the chemo is nothing sometimes... [I think that's just how he and I communicate, very nonchalant to each other] and it's really serious business, I mean, it's chemo!

I'm happy to share our experience with this disease. It's my way to pay it forward. Don't hesitate to ask questions or PM me. I'm not a vet and can't give advise, but I can tell you how something relates to our cancer treatment. Sometimes having that human to connect to makes all the difference in the world.

Sofie received the Carboplatin today. Dr. placed the catheter and I was the one who was giving it about 7ccs over a 5 minute time span, twice. She received 150mgs total. I'm hoping it doesn't make her feel gross. I left her on fluids until I got off of work she got about 200mls so hopefully if she gets sick she at least has something until she can get more fluids tomorrow.

Sofie & I have an angel in our corner and Sofie will be having an MRI Thursday. It makes me cry just thinking about how amazing this whole scenario is. I am so excited, yet nervous, to find out how bad it is. I am excited in the fact that we won't be left in the dark anymore and this could help me decide how far to go with the chemo. I am of course nervous in the fact they might say that the tumor is about to invade her brain and give me _________ time span. However, it would be so great to be prepared rather than be sitting here waiting for something horrible to happen. She's been such an awesome dog and I know that she won't be here forever but the thought of losing her right now sucks. It'll give me some sort of idea of what we're dealing with and that's all I can really hope and ask for.

Thanks so much to all of you for the support and well wishes. This would be so hard to have to deal with alone.

I'm assuming it's same day because they are the diagnostic imaging place so the doctors are there and ready to interpret things. Anyway I'm hoping so, I am one of the most impatient people on the planet, I don't mean in a nasty way but in a little kid anxious kind of way.